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Re: "His name was changed at Ellis Island" #names

Jules Levin
 

I assume these were not shotgun marriages with the officials holding the shotgun.  Absolutely no one is claiming that people could not resolve to use, and begin using, a different name voluntarily, while still standing on Ellis Island.  The popular argument was always understood to mean that officials gave people new names.   Perhaps you have had some legal training.  Legal language is not the same as ordinary speech, as it is normally understood.  
Jules Levin


-----Original Message-----
From: "Stephen Weinstein via groups.jewishgen.org"
Sent: Jun 28, 2020 7:36 PM
To: main@...
Subject: Re: [JewishGen.org] "His name was changed at Ellis Island" #general #usa

To be a smart ass, I would like to respond as follows to everyone claiming that absolutely no names whatsoever were ever changed at Ellis Island:

There were "hundreds of immigrants were married on Ellis Island" (https://blog.eogn.com/2018/03/23/webinar-married-at-ellis-island-single-women-and-immigration-1892-1924/).  Since married women didn't keep their maiden names in those days, unless the bride and groom already had the same surname before they married (which is possible, but not common), each woman who got married at Ellis Island would have changed her name there -- to her new husband's surname.

This, I hope, will resolve the question conclusively and bring the argument to an end -- but I don't think it will.

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